Understand and apply key strategic marketing concepts such as segmentation, targeting, and positioning.

Analyze current marketing issues

Become familiar with the most important manager's responsibility: decision-making

This course contributes to the following Intended Key Learning Outcomes (IKLO):

IKLO-2: Gaining the knowledge and understanding of one of the proposed fields of concentration or to gain deep knowledge in the field of the management being already specialized thru a first University Master Degree.

IKLO-5: Integrate autonomously researched information, tools, knowledge and context to build and propose, either individually or as part of a team, original, creative and viable solutions to concrete complex management problems, whether real or simulated, taking into account, when necessary, the human, social and legal context.

IKLO-6: Ability to speak 2 foreign languages: C1 in English and B2 in one other language.

The students are required to participate actively during the group sessions. Accordingly, they need a good level in spoken and written English or French.
Each student should have followed at least one course of Basics in Marketing covering the following concepts:

Customer Value, Satisfaction, and Loyalty

Analyzing Consumer Markets

Identifying Market Segments and Targets

Crafting the Brand Positioning

Dealing with Competition

To assess your knowledge of the basic concepts in marketing, a theoretical examination will be hold during the 'Introduction session' (October, 6th - room S1 at Opéra, from 9 to 11AM). In order to prepare, you have to carefully read and understand the following chapters of Kotler et al. (2011), Marketing Management, 14th European Edition:

Chapter 3. Gathering Information and Scanning the Environment

Chapter 4. Conducting Marketing Research and Forecasting on Demand

Chapter 5. Creating Long-term Loyalty Relationships

Chapter 6. Analyzing Consumer Markets

Chapter 7. Analyzing Business Markets

Chapter 8. Identifying Market Segments and Targets

Chapter 10. Crafting the Brand Position

Chapter 11. Competitive Dynamics

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

The teaching methods consist in personal readings, case studies, and guest lectures.
Personal reading:
It is deeply recommended to read the chapters of Kotler's et al. book mentioned for every business case.
Case study:Before every session: In line with IKLO-5, you have to read, analyze, and solve the business case individually. To help you to prepare the business case, you should use personal readings (i.e., chapters of Kotler's et al. book) as they provide you with useful information for solving the case. It is required to apply the concepts and models from the book to the business case. In addition, each group will have to prepare the business case and upload one PowerPoint presentation on Lol@ (assignment section) two days prior to the session (i.e., on Monday). We expect you to answer the following questions:

Which problem(s) did you identify in the case?

Which methods or models did you use to make your analysis and diagnosis?

During the session: The lecturers are free to choose randomly one group for presentation (IKLO-6, -12). In addition, each subgroup will receive specific questions to answer (IKLO-7 &amp; -8). Each subgroup is required to share ideas, and to write down its answers on a PowerPoint slide or a sheet of paper. The lecturer will be available to answer the specific questions of each subgroup. Then, the lecturer will animate the session, which means that s/he will ask some subgroups to present their answers. The lecturer's role is to challenge the students' answers and facilitate learning. Please, be aware that the lecturer may question every student at any moment during the session. Therefore, a strong preliminary individual work is required. Only well-prepared students will have time to answer the questions during the session.
At the end of the session: the lecturer will collect all answers in order to evaluate their quality (IKLO-13).
Guest lecture(s): On December 8th, a guest speaker (from a private company) will give a plenary conference for all students. Presence is highly important.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

All lectures will be face-to-face. Note that students have to prepare the business cases ahead. To do so, personal readings and self-learning about marketing concepts and models are highly recommended

Recommended or required readings :

Required readings:

The business cases are available at the "Centrale des Cours", starting from mid-October.

Kotler et al. (2011), Marketing Management, 14th European Edition (copies are available at the library of HEC-ULg).

Assessment methods and criteria :

Assessment elements:

The quiz related to the basic concepts of marketing (October 6th; 20%);

The quality of your preparation ahead of the session; we will randomly evaluate one PowerPoint presentation out of the 6 (10%);

The quality of the answers of each subgroup during the session + your active participation during the sessions (10%);

A final examination, which will take place in January 2015 (60%).

It is important to participate to all sessions. If you are not present to a session, you will get a 0/20 for your session participation.
Assessment criteria:

Understanding of marketing concepts (IKLO-2);

Congruent application of marketing concepts (IKLO-5);

Critical attitude (IKLO-9);

Analytical mind (IKLO-5, -10);

The rigour, concision and depth of your analysis (IKLO-5, -9, -10);

The congruence and creativity of your decisions (IKLO-11).

Work placement(s) :

Organizational remarks :

Group organization:Students are divided in 4 groups of more or less 45 students:

Group A and B are English-speaking groups.

Group C and D are French-speaking groups.

Based on individuals' preferences and following consultation with students, teachers may decide to teach either in French or in English for Groups C and D. However, note that all business cases are written in English (IKLO-5).
Each group is approximately divided in 12 subgroups of 4 students. The composition of the groups is up to you, until October 15th. Please make sure that all your team members register to the same group on Lol@ (e.g., GroupA-1 for the English-speaking subgroup number 1). We will randomly assign the remaining students to one group.
Note that we will try to satisfy as much as possible everyone's preferences. However, Erasmus students have of course priority for the English-speaking groups. Groups will remain the same for the whole seminar (including the final exam).
Course participation:
We apologize your absence to the class in case of an imperious reason. In this case, we need an official proof such as a medical certificate. Please, in this case:

inform by email Simon as soon as you know the imperious reason;

provide Simon (N2, rue Saint-Gilles 35 - Room 376, or simon.hazee@ulg.ac.be) with the original and official proof of your absence to the case within 3 days of the business case session. Scans are allowed.